


LIONHEART

by baeconandeggs



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-19
Updated: 2015-05-19
Packaged: 2018-03-31 07:23:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3969273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I am Lionheart, and this is my story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	LIONHEART

**Author's Note:**

> I want to apologize if this is a bit of a deviation from what you wanted in the prompt. I sort of zeroed in on that prompt and kind of ran with it into my old comic books. I hope this is something you enjoy! I also want to thank Y for being such an amazing support and beta. Seriously, this could not have been done without your help!

Baekhyun first discovered his powers on a school trip. He was boarding a plane back from Jeju Island when it made itself known. It wasn’t anything monumental at the time, but he remembers panicking to himself when he accidentally crushed the armrest on his side with his bare hand, leaving a very impressive imprint on the plastic.

The entire flight, he made sure not to grab anything with his hands, even going as far as to avoid opening doors with them. When he got back home, he tried to test out if it was okay to grab anything by using his bed as a test dummy. To his surprise, his bed didn’t crumble in his hands, but what he discovered instead changed his life for the better.

He learned that he was given superpowers. And not just any old superpower either. No, he was given one of the classics; the ability of super strength. This alone fueled the superhero fanatic inside of him because this opened up so many possibilities. As clichéd as it sounded, he didn’t see his abilities as a curse, but as a gift, and his destiny was finally calling to him.

Becoming a superhero was another story. It wasn’t like he could just don a cape and suddenly become a superhero. Well he could, but it wouldn’t have made that interesting of a superhero origin story in his expert opinion (please believe him when he says he’s an expert on these kinds of things because he lives and breathes for superheroes). 

He grew up with his abilities in secret, never using them for anything that would expose them too early to the world; he’d read enough comic books to know what kind of path that would’ve taken him. Instead, he wanted to be old enough to actually be taken seriously as a superhero, and when he finally reached his adult years, he was ready.

His first attempt at a superhero costume was an embarrassing failure. Let’s just say that while Baekhyun is pretty proud of his own physique, he isn’t about to go jumping around in spandex anytime soon. Not after his, thankfully hidden, face was posted all over the internet as the laughable meme of the year.

The problem wasn’t with his creativity; it was how he tackled this superhero business. While comic books went over well on paper, they translate poorly when applied to real life. If he wanted to be taken seriously, he’d have to forget everything he knew about superheroes, and remember that this isn’t some fantasy that someone drew up—this was his life.

So from his hard efforts, Lionheart was born, a fearless champion of justice, and quite the dashing hero according to the netizens on the forums. It was mostly thanks to the fact that Baekhyun looked more like an idol now that wouldn’t be out of place dancing in a music video somewhere, and it was better this way. At least when people saw him out saving people in public, he wouldn’t be laughed at. At least not right away.

The ahjummas and ahjussis seemed to like him almost as much as the high school students did. They’d sometimes catch him patrolling the streets and pull him aside to take photos, and Baekhyun would oblige them as much as they wanted because his fans were what kept him going. And just like any respectable idol, he gave as much fanservice as he could during his routines.

It was easy at first to get caught up in the energy and lose himself in the popularity, but it all started to change when a new face entered the scene. An annoying little time bomb by the name of Park Chanyeol.

 

 

Park Chanyeol. How exactly can Baekhyun describe him?

He’s a strange fellow, always smiling and spouting out words of poetry whenever he’s out doing his duties. See he’s also a superhero. Not that Baekhyun would ever admit it, but Chanyeol’s almost as popular as he is, maybe even more. It doesn’t help that the guy is admittedly attractive in his own right, and had a few more inches on Baekhyun. 

In _height_ of course.

Whenever they were out on the field, Chanyeol went by the codename Fucking Asshole because Baekhyun honestly grew tired of his shit. Okay, so Chanyeol actually went by something else entirely, but it never really became important enough for Baekhyun to learn because Chanyeol could fucking _fly_. As in soar above the clouds and swoop down to save the day like in the silver age comics.

Baekhyun was not impressed with Chanyeol’s attempts at usurping his throne as the only superhero Seoul needed. It didn’t help that, one time, when they coincidentally arrived at the 63 Building at the same time to rescue a trapped office worker, Baekhyun fell from fragile footing, and Chanyeol flew down and caught him in his arms. 

Baekhyun was rightfully frightened at the time, so naturally he’d grabbed hold of whatever was holding him. The only problem was, people caught sight of this and proceeded to snap many, many, _many_ photos, which led to his embarrassing moment being uploaded on the internet at various angles—which led to fangirls and fanboys making up rumors about them dating. The worst part was that Chanyeol ate up all the attention. He’d flirted with Baekhyun when they’d landed, even going as far as kissing him on the hand. Baekhyun’s cheeks had flamed as the furious clicking of cameras and the shameless screaming of fans surrounded them.

It hadn’t been the best time in Baekhyun’s life, and sometimes he wonders just why he let it all happen, and more importantly, why he wasn’t so averse to exchanging phone numbers with Chanyeol on the spot. As if on cue, his phone buzzes with a text message from the monster himself.

miss you lots! ヽ(*´з｀*)ﾉ

Baekhyun gags to himself as he types out a reply with punctuated mashes against his screen. Typing things angrily seems to convey his emotions better, even if Chanyeol isn’t around to see it.

fuck off

At least Chanyeol’s an ally in the simplest of terms. They both want to save people, and Chanyeol’s actually good at his job. It just means Baekhyun has to work that much harder for the public’s approval. As long as the city is in need of a hero, he won’t rest.

 

 

“It looks like you’re falling behind a little,” Daehyun (Baekhyun’s best friend from college and also a comic book enthusiast) notes as he scrolls down a news article. It’s an old article that centered on the incident at the 63 Building, about how the disaster had been averted by the heroic efforts of a few heroes. 

The police had been wary of their interference when they started working, but after proving valuable assets to the protection of the city, they’ve since turned a blind eye to their heroics. While they don’t actively seek out the supers, the government is pretty cooperative, and for that, Baekhyun is thankful.

He’s reading the comments again, and Baekhyun has to tune him out whenever he goes through them because it’s always a bunch of comparisons. It’s like Daehyun enjoys this little part of Baekhyun’s world because, in his words, it’s like living in a comic book. If there was a bigger nerd in the room than Baekhyun, it would definitely be Daehyun no doubt. 

“I don’t really care,” Baekhyun says as he closes his eyes and tries to imagine all of the shopping he’s going to do at Akihabara. He’s been planning this trip for months, and he definitely wants to buy a few plushies to build up his army back home.

Daehyun hums like a disappointed brother, which unfortunately, is something that Baekhyun is actually used to seeing from his actual brother. “Yes you do.” His finger starts furiously dragging along the screen of his tablet, and each new comment makes his smile grow wider until it’s practically eating his whole face. “Most of the comments are just about who’s better between you and Chanyeol, but a lot of them are also about if you two go on secret romantic dates.”

“Disgusting,” Baekhyun says as he scrunches his nose. “Out of everyone I had to get paired up with, it had to be that stupid elf. He’s not even that good looking.” He’s really not though. Chanyeol looks like a deformed titan-looking reject, with abnormally long proportions and goofy looking ears. Not that Baekhyun ever pays attention.

“You know you’re blushing right?” Daehyun points out as he nudges Baekhyun with his shoulder.

“You know I’m paying for your food right?” Baekhyun retorts dryly.

This promptly shuts Daehyun up. After a few minutes of silent walking, Baekhyun feels the familiar buzzing in his pocket, and with bated breath, he pulls out his phone to see the new message Chanyeol’s sent him.

hey we should meet up at hongdae tonight!

Attached is a picture of Chanyeol flashing around a stack of won in one hand, and a bottle of soju in the other, and Baekhyun is pretty sure this is top quality blackmail if he ever saw one. 

He’ll admit, Chanyeol does look a little cute in his selca; especially with the way his eyes seem to dazzle from whatever flash he has on his phone, and the way his smile is just so… Baekhyun almost drops his smartphone because he’s actually feeling something from the picture, and he feels betrayed.

“Why is he so gross?” Baekhyun groans as they head inside the cozy donkatsu restaurant. It smells like fried donkatsu heaven, and Baekhyun sighs when the smells surround him.

Daehyun pulls him to the third floor, and they easily grab a small side table for themselves. “Who? Is it Chanyeol?” Daehyun asks as he strips himself of his coat. “What did he do? Let me see.” Baekhyun hands his phone over while he sits down opposite from his friend. “Wow. He is pretty shameless. And cute. Cute is important.”

Baekhyun snatches his phone back angrily. “I can’t believe you just called him cute. You’ve violated our friend code.”

“I’m just stating a fact here,” Daehyun says. “He has a sort of charm. You can’t deny that.”

Baekhyun quickly switches his attention over to his phone. “Yeah well I’m going to state a fact here. You can find someone else to pay for your donkatsu.”

As Daehyun pleads in the background for Baekhyun to accept him back as his number one best friend and help spot him for their meal, Baekhyun secretly replies back to Chanyeol’s message.

fine. what time?

 

 

When Baekhyun arrives at the MoPlay, Chanyeol’s already standing outside of the building, dressed top to bottom in dapper winter clothing, and Baekhyun pulls at one of his lapels to get his attention.

“Baekhyun! You made it!” Chanyeol practically screams at him, before pulling his earbuds out. “What took you so long?”

“Are you kidding me?” Baekhyun asks. “You told me to meet you at eight. You’re the one who’s too early.” He glances around before sliding up beside Chanyeol. “Did you seriously wait out here the whole time?” The streets are already starting to get packed as the nightlife wakes up and teenagers flock to the clubs to party their nights away. The scent of alcohol is already starting to flood back into his senses.

Chanyeol shakes his head. “What? No. I got something to eat.” He holds up a plastic bag and Baekhyun can smell the tteokbokki from where he’s standing. “I just got here like five minutes before you did. I didn’t want to wait inside because then I wouldn’t see you coming.”

“You serious?” Baekhyun snorts. “You’re an idiot. You didn’t already start drinking did you?”

“No?” Chanyeol throws his head back, his entire body shaking with laughter. “Do you think I drink while I’m on duty?”

“Is this a superhero thing?” Baekhyun asks. “Wait, do you seriously not drink? Seriously? Why am I even asking you this, you’re like the poster child for the boy next door.”

“That’s a bad thing?”

Baekhyun throws his hands in the air. “I rest my case. Come on. Let’s get inside so we can actually play instead of just stand around talking.”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to that,” Chanyeol offers as he walks behind, shrugging when Baekhyun glances back at him. “I’m just saying. I think we can become really good friends. I mean, the netizens already seem to think we’re close and all.” There’s an unspoken question here, but Baekhyun doesn’t want to uncover it, letting it hide beneath casual banter.

“The netizens also think we’re two supernatural beings, when in reality, we’re just two university students who just happen to have special gifts,” Baekhyun corrects. “Well, at least one of us is. Wait, do you go to university?”

Chanyeol makes a noncommittal noise. “I don’t have time for it. Too busy with work.” He pauses, before correcting himself. “I mean, with actual work. My duties as a superhero depend on how safe Korea is and if I can meet deadlines.”

“You mean being a superhero isn’t your number one priority?” 

“My number two,” Chanyeol answers. “I’m a journalist first. The hours aren’t fun, but the work itself is enough to keep me happy. And busy. It helps me deal with a bit of the stress sometimes.” His voice is a bit sadder, and Baekhyun briefly wonders if he goes through the same problems Chanyeol does.

They reach their room after a few flights of stairs, and it’s fairly intimate. There’s a computer at the desk, and a Wii hidden behind the monitor. It’s big enough for two people, and Baekhyun is fine with sharing space with Chanyeol, if only because he isn’t totally repulsed by the giant at this point. He’s actually starting to grow fond of Chanyeol and his little quirks. 

_And maybe…_

“So how good are you at Mario Kart?”

Chanyeol licks his lips. “You’re talking to a master gamer here.” He quickly grabs one of the free nun-chuck controllers and tosses the other pair over to Baekhyun. “I never lose.”

“That sounds like a challenge.”

When Baekhyun catches Chanyeol’s eyes again, there’s an excited glint in them. “For you perhaps. Prepare to have the greatest defeat brought to you by yours truly.”

“Well bring it on then, Park.”

 

 

It’s abnormally chilly when Baekhyun starts up one of his routine scouts around Seoul. He didn’t realize it was starting to snow until one of the nearby kids shouted about the snowfall starting, and sure enough, snowflakes started to dance around him. The city is beautiful in the winter, and Baekhyun sniffs noisily as he continues his trek. 

Coincidentally, he runs into Chanyeol just a few blocks down as the latter flies overhead, a beacon of red amidst the grey skies. He spots the cape first, followed by a mess of frumpy locks, and he throws a snowball towards Chanyeol’s head to get his attention. As the projectile lands dead on its mark, Chanyeol lets out a shriek as he tumbles forward out of the sky, landing into a pile of snow near the sidewalk. 

“Why do you always cross into my turf?” Baekhyun asks as he looms over Chanyeol’s pliant body, not caring about the onlookers who’re gradually starting to crowd around the duo. As expected, phones are already whipped out and poised to take plenty of photos.

Chanyeol blinks slowly behind his eye mask as he takes in the person addressing him. His eyes curve into happy little crescents when he registers who it is. “You know I can’t stay away from you.”

“You had one chance and you blew it already, Park,” Baekhyun huffs, kicking a wave of snow directly onto Chanyeol’s face without an ounce of empathy. 

The latter is shouting through the snow from the surprise attack, and he springs upward into a standing position, his whole body shaking vigorously to brush off every inch of snow on him. His hair ruffles in the movement, and Baekhyun resists cooing at how cute Chanyeol looks right now. Like an overgrown puppy wrapped in Kevlar.

“I was just making sure there wasn’t any crime,” Chanyeol says casually. “You’d be surprised how many pickpockets there are out here in Itaewon.”

“Which is why I’m already out here,” Baekhyun states. “This is a bit far out from your Hongdae, isn’t it? Do you honestly think I can’t handle a simple pickpocket?”

Chanyeol blinks in confusion. “It’s not that and you know it.”

“Well it’s certainly not for the sights and _they_ know it,” Baekhyun counters as he nods towards the crowd distancing from them. A few of the onlookers wave when Chanyeol glances over to them, some of them even shrieking when Chanyeol actually winks in their direction. “So why are you really here?”

“I already told you why,” Chanyeol says, a hint of exasperation in his voice. “I came here to see you.”

At first Baekhyun thinks Chanyeol’s just joking like before, but as he watches Chanyeol just stand there and stare at him, his gaze not once wavering, there’s a strange pull inside of his chest. It’s suddenly a bit too warm, even in this winter spell, and Baekhyun tugs at his collar slightly to gain some sense of comfort. It doesn’t help that Chanyeol seems lost in a daze of unanswered emotions.

When Baekhyun actually looks into Chanyeol’s eyes, he’s slipping into the richest shades of brown, and finding himself lost in those emotions as well. It’s too easy for one to get caught up in their feelings, but Baekhyun is still unsure. Perhaps he isn’t ready to understand it yet.

“I should get back to work,” Baekhyun finally says, breaking away first. “It’s getting late.” It isn’t, but he doesn’t know what else to say. When he looks up, the crowd has started to disperse, thankfully, and it’s just the two of them. “Don’t come back to Itaewon.”

When he tries to walk away, he’s stopped by a hand on his arm. “Baekhyun, wait,” Chanyeol says, quieter than he has ever been. “I was just…I do have a reason for seeking you out.” He drops his hand away from Baekhyun’s arm and he actually looks a bit anxious. “I’m a part of a bigger group. We call ourselves the 88 and…wow, it actually sounds a lot more embarrassing when I say it out loud.”

Baekhyun snuffs a snort. “So what, are you guys like a superhero team or something?”

“Something like that yeah.” Chanyeol shuffles awkwardly on the heels of his boots. “We were wondering if you’d like to join us.”

“Nope,” Baekhyun replies quickly, already turning to wander further into Itaewon. 

“Wait!” Chanyeol calls out, his long legs catching up in just a few strides. “Why not? We’re a pretty cool team, and we’d love to have you.” He looks positively startled, like he wasn’t expecting Baekhyun to turn him down. 

“I’m not really…” Baekhyun starts, kicking at the asphalt. “It sounds lame.”

“What if I show you our headquarters at least?” Chanyeol tries, now lifting into the air so that he’s now hovering just a bit in front of Baekhyun. “Let me show you what we do first before you make a decision. If you don’t like what you see, then I won’t bother you again about it. Is that okay?”

Honestly, Baekhyun is just so tired. But, he is all about giving things a chance, so it’s with this mindset that he takes Chanyeol up on his offer and before he knows it, he’s being carried bridal style in Chanyeol’s arms. Baekhyun doesn’t let it slip that he actually enjoys having Chanyeol’s attention like this, but from the way Chanyeol smiles when he holds on tighter onto his neck, it already seems obvious enough.

“Hey I have a question for you,” Baekhyun says as they’re in mid-flight. Chanyeol swerves a bit from the sudden comment, but he stabilizes his flight as he slows down to listen. “Why me? I mean, why do you guys want me to join?”

Chanyeol’s fingers around his arm and thigh grow slightly tighter, but Baekhyun thinks it’s because he’s picking up speed again. “It was actually my idea,” Chanyeol answers with a breathy chuckle. “I just can’t seem to stay away from you for some reason.”

There’s an odd weight that settles in after. Chanyeol’s answer obviously has a greater meaning, something far more important than just casual banter, but Baekhyun’s unsure if he should dive deeper, lest he ruin what fragile foundation they have built for their relationship.

Instead, he stays quiet for the rest of the trip, ignoring the way Chanyeol breathes against his skin.

 

 

“Well here we are,” Chanyeol says when he finally drops down onto the roof of a building. “You might feel a bit disoriented, so be careful.”

“What are you—” Baekhyun barely gets a step away from Chanyeol before he’s stumbling on his legs, falling forward and into open arms. Chanyeol’s arms as a matter of fact. His very strong arms, Baekhyun notes happily while slowly copping a feel. It actually feels kind of nice to be in Chanyeol’s arms like this. He feels…safe. “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” Chanyeol says, baritone voice rumbling deep within his chest, before his sweet words are bellied by this horrible comment, “You’re so cute when you’re clinging like this. So small.”

Baekhyun immediately shoves Chanyeol away unapologetically. “And you had to go and ruin it.” Now that he’s gotten a better hold on his equilibrium, Baekhyun is able to really take in where they are. They’re on the mountainside, overlooking a good view of Seoul. 

For a brief moment, Baekhyun wonders why they’d choose to have their headquarters so far away from the city, but he supposes it helps with the whole secret identity thing. If anything, it’s a lot more effort than what Baekhyun puts in to keep his face a secret. Not that anyone would care mind you, but it just feels right to keep up with superhero tradition and play the mysterious hero to its full potential.

“A bit of a warning, the rest of my team aren’t really…” Chanyeol’s fumbling with his words again. “They’re a bit odd, if you catch my drift.” 

Baekhyun snorts weakly because it’s ironic coming from Chanyeol. “I suppose that must be a criteria for joining then.” He tilts his head towards Chanyeol, but the giant doesn’t catch the jest in time for it to be effective. “Never mind, let’s just get this over with.”

It’s nothing like Baekhyun’s ever seen before. Inside, the building is enormous, like something right out of one of Baekhyun’s wet fanboy dreams. It’s clean and minimalistic, completely professional like an office building, and suddenly Baekhyun feels like he’s out of his comfort zone. He feels like a freshman in his first day on a new campus.

“Okay so,” Chanyeol speaks up as he places a hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder. “When you meet the rest of the crew, just know they get really…how should I put this? You’ll see when we get inside. We’re usually busy so…” 

The way Chanyeol’s fingers twitch and linger on his shoulder is oddly comforting, but Baekhyun needs to compose himself for this…meeting. He shrugs off Chanyeol’s hand slightly, earning a dejected squint from the owner. “Right. I’ll try to be on my best behavior then.” 

“Well if you’re ready,” Chanyeol says as he takes a deep breath, like he’s the one meeting them for the first time and not Baekhyun, who’s still trying to convince himself he doesn’t really want to join.

As soon as the doors slide open, Baekhyun’s met with a face full of explosive laughter and high-pitched screaming, and he’s immediately regretting his decision to allow Chanyeol to bring him here. After taking the time to actually look inside, there’s only a few guys, and they all look like they’re around the same age as him, so Baekhyun sighs in relief. 

The only difference between him and them is that they look so, put together, if he were to put it in words. They’re all wearing similar uniforms as Chanyeol, and it takes a moment for Baekhyun to realize this is actually kind of real. Chanyeol wasn’t kidding.

“Hyung, who’s this?” A voice perks up from the side as a flash of smoke enters the room. Baekhyun coughs dramatically as he waves at the smoke with an outstretched hand. There, standing just a few feet to his left is a young man, almost as tall as Chanyeol, and Baekhyun sneers when the guy looks him up and down. He doesn’t need more tall problems in his life.

“This is the guy I was talking about!” Chanyeol replies happily, pulling at Baekhyun’s elbow like he’s some sort of ragdoll. “Baekhyun.” He turns to look straight at Baekhyun. “This is Jongin—wait, should I be using our real names?” When he turns to his teammate for an answer, the guy just shrugs nonchalantly, like he’s used to Chanyeol’s random questions. 

“I don’t mind hyung, but it’s probably better if you asked everyone else first before you go off revealing our secret identities to just anyone,” Jongin answers as he fixes a knowing stare back on Baekhyun. “I’m sure he’s not just anyone though. Make yourself at home here, Baekhyun-ssi. It’s not much to look at but it’s a nice little place for people like us.” With a jaunty wave, Jongin leaves them as he moseys over to the center of the room, where the rest of the guys are standing at.

“Who was that?” Baekhyun asks after it’s clear they don’t really care about his appearance in their base, or that Chanyeol’s back from…whatever he was doing earlier. 

Chanyeol wraps an arm around Baekhyun’s shoulder as he guides him around the edge of the room. “Kim Jongin. He’s kind of like our mode of transportation around Seoul.” When Baekhyun raises an eyebrow at this description, Chanyeol quickly continues. “He can create portals. Well, that’s the closest explanation we can give for his powers. He opens up rifts in space and it’s usually connected to anywhere he wants to go.”

“That’s kind of intense,” Baekhyun says, before realizing how awestruck he sounds. 

“It really is. His portals always comes with a lot of smoke though. We’re not entirely sure why that is, but, we don’t really question it when it gets us where we want to go. We haven’t had any problems with it yet, and Jongin’s pretty skilled at using his powers, so we trust him.” Chanyeol chuckles to himself. “That and the fact that we’re all pretty much childhood friends here.”

“You serious?”

“For the most part. I grew up with Jongdae—he’s the guy with the cheekbones over there,” Chanyeol says as he points to a guy that, sure enough, has cheekbones Baekhyun immediately envies. “I’m not going to explain all of their powers because I’m sure they’ll talk about it when they meet you.”

Baekhyun scrunches his nose. “They’re sure taking their time then huh?”

“We handle a lot of crime in Seoul,” Chanyeol says like it’s the answer to all of Baekhyun’s questions. “The guy Jongin’s standing behind is Kyungsoo. Those two grew up together, so they’re pretty close.” 

Baekhyun’s eyes travel over to where Jongin’s standing at, and the guy has his hands on Kyungsoo’s shoulders right now. Kyungsoo looks pretty harmless though, as far as supers go, and it has Baekhyun wondering just what kind of superpower he has. As if reading his mind, Kyungsoo glances over at the pair, and with a tilt of his head, he’s beckoning them over.

“Sorry,” Chanyeol says as he guides Baekhyun to the group. “I wanted to introduce you all, but you guys seemed busy with this…what were you guys doing? Are we having a meeting?”

“We’re deciding on what to order for dinner this time,” Jongdae answers seriously as he stares real hard at the smartphone on the table, bringing a hand up to his chin in thought. “I think we should get budae jigae, but Jongin wants fried chicken.” At the mention of his name, Jongin hums in the back of his throat and leans forward, his chin now pressing up against the crown of Kyungsoo’s head.

Baekhyun chokes on his spit. “Are you guys for real?”

“Very,” Kyungsoo deadpanned. He doesn’t look at all fazed about the body looming over him. “Chanyeol, who is this?”

“This is Baekhyun!” Chanyeol excitedly motioned at him, smile pulled widely as he wrapped an arm around Baekhyun. “The guy I was telling you about. He’s really good. I think he’d be an awesome addition to the team.” Baekhyun will admit, the fact that Chanyeol has so much faith in him does make his heart beat a bit louder. Just a bit though. He doesn’t want to give the guy any satisfaction.

“He doesn’t look like much,” Kyungsoo adds after sizing Baekhyun up. 

Baekhyun almost fires back with a _look who’s talking_ , but Jongdae beats him to it and actually says, “Look who’s talking. We didn’t think you were much of anything when you first got here, Kyungsoo.” His smile is just as sharp as his words, and it doesn’t waver one bit when Kyungsoo quickly glares his way. “My point is, don’t write him off so easily.” When he looks back towards Baekhyun, his smile is a lot friendlier. “Don’t mind Kyungsoo. He hasn’t eaten yet so he lashes out at anything.”

“This is true,” Kyungsoo says evenly. “It’s probably because we’re still deciding on what we should order instead of actually _ordering_.”

Jongin grunts as he leans forward to pick up the smartphone. “I’m ordering chicken and that’s final.” Even though he has his finger hovering over the call button, he’s still waiting. “Is that okay?”

“Just order the damn chicken already,” Kyungsoo sighs.

 

 

Jongin and Jongdae end up having to pick up their dinner, leaving Kyungsoo and Chanyeol to give Baekhyun the grand tour. Kyungsoo adds his own, unique commentary for every room they pass by: the bathroom stalls (“They take a shit here.”), the break room (“They do shit here.”), the cafeteria (“They eat shit here.”), and the control center (“They never do shit here.”)

“This sure is a shitty tour,” Baekhyun jokes after meeting Kyungsoo’s eyes. “What? You set yourself up for that one.” Behind him, Chanyeol stifles his laughter with a hand.

There’s a sharp glint to Kyungsoo’s glare. “I can see why Chanyeol’s grown attached to you, Baekhyun-ssi. It’s been awhile since we’ve found someone who shares his crappy sense of humor. I guess idiots come in pairs.” Before Baekhyun can spit out his reply, Kyungsoo’s already shuffling far ahead from the pair. 

“What’s his deal?” Baekhyun asks a slouching Chanyeol. “He barely knows me and you’d think I took a shit in his coffee or something.” 

Chanyeol bites his bottom lip, keeping his stare firm on Kyungsoo’s shrinking figure. “Really? I think he’s actually very pleasant today. He’s actually a lot worse to people he likes, so just know it’s nothing against you specifically. He’s like this to everyone he meets.”

“Seriously? And here I was thinking I was someone special.” 

The hallways seem never-ending as they continue their tour, and Baekhyun wonders just how deep into the mountain this building goes. From the outside, the portion of the building that was visible stuck out of the mountainside like a patio, albeit on a much grander scale. Everything seems relatively new as well, so it couldn’t have been that long since its conception. 

“And this is where we train,” Kyungsoo says as he presses a button to slide the door, revealing a spacious gymnasium. “This is also where we learn to control our powers. Well, some of us anyways.” His gaze drifts over to Chanyeol for a moment before returning to Baekhyun. “I’ve heard about your powers Baekhyun-ssi. Chanyeol wouldn’t shut up about them. I’m not as easily impressed.”

“Hey! I think his powers are really cool.” Chanyeol pouts, flying over to Baekhyun’s side. “It’s not every day you meet someone with superhuman strength. Or with superpowers, for that matter. Besides, he’s really good.”

“Please, enlighten me on your definition of good,” Kyungsoo bites back as he saunters inside. “I’m sure this will clear up so many questions.”

“You hurt me,” Chanyeol mutters as he follows, leading Baekhyun in by the wrist—the latter doesn’t mind it as much as he should. “Haven’t we been in need of a new member? Baekhyun is that member.”

“I’ll be the judge of that,” Kyungsoo replies.

Baekhyun raise an eyebrow, finally chiming in with, “Why? Are you the leader or something?” He can feel Chanyeol’s fingers gripping just a tad tighter at this question.

Kyungsoo doesn’t bother to turn around. “I am.” Even with his tiny presence, Kyungsoo has a way with his voice that just commands respect. “Is that a problem?”

“No,” Baekhyun replies quickly. Off to his side, Chanyeol’s watching him with a raised eyebrow. “Please continue.”

This time, Kyungsoo does turn around and he actually looks intrigued when he glances back at Baekhyun. “Chanyeol, your friend is pretty smart,” Kyungsoo hums appreciatively. “He knows when to be quiet. This automatically puts him higher than you on the list of people I actually care about.”

“You hurt me,” Chanyeol repeats, finally letting go of Baekhyun’s wrist. “Not that this is anything new, but it still hurts.”

 

 

The last leg of the tour continues without delay, Kyungsoo chiming in once again with creative names for the rest of the facilities. Baekhyun’s still unsure why this team needs a garage for vehicles (let alone actual vehicles considering the fact that the two superpowers he’s been introduced to are—in Chanyeol’s words—convenient modes of transportation). But hey, if there’s anything Baekhyun can’t turn down, it’s a tall, attractive guy on a moped. Not that he knows any of course.

“And this is the medical bay.” Kyungsoo waves around the spotless room, narrowing his eyes as he turns to face them. “Or as I like to call it, ‘where I deal with your bullshit because you were too fucking careless’.” It’s amazing they’re able to accomplish anything with this so called camaraderie. “This of course is directed at you, Chanyeol.”

“Why do you always target me out of everyone? I feel like this is on purpose.”

Kyungsoo runs a hand through his bangs. “Well for one, you’re the only one here so that makes you today’s unlucky victim. And two, because you’re always getting into trouble, even when I give you clear and specific directions. It shouldn’t be that hard to follow on the field, but you constantly prove me wrong every time.”

“Jongdae’s right. You _are_ grumpy when you’re hungry.”

Kyungsoo nods in agreement. “Speaking of which, I’m surprised I finished before Jongdae and Jongin came back. They’re probably eating somewhere right now.” His eyes darken. “I knew I shouldn’t have sent Jongdae to get dinner. I can’t trust him with food. Jongin, I’m a bit surprised because while I can’t trust him with food, I can usually trust him with completing errands.” He pauses for a moment before adding, “He’s one of the more reliable members of the team,” as an afterthought.

Chanyeol’s already made himself comfortable on one of the beds, scooting aside when Baekhyun joins him. “Well for you it really should’ve been obvious.” 

He’s tapping the side of his head, and there’s a brief moment of understanding between the two, and then nothing but silence as they pair just stare. As in, no words as the quiet settles into the room, and Baekhyun starts feeling a bit nervous because no one’s saying anything. All of a sudden, Chanyeol’s waving his hands like how he usually does when he talks, and he’s motioning over to Baekhyun, even looking right at him for a couple of heated moments.

“Am I missing something?” Baekhyun blurts out when Chanyeol shakes his head frantically at what must’ve been a serious question. It’s almost like… 

Chanyeol blinks innocently before his face brightens up. “Oh! Sorry. We have brain conversations all the time. I forgot… Kyungsoo, why didn’t you let Baekhyun in?” 

Kyungsoo shrugs. “I guess I forgot too. Sue me.”

“Wait!” Baekhyun practically jumps off of the bed, rattling the nearby tray of medical tools. “Mental conversations? You mean like, telepathy?”

“He really is a smart one,” Kyungsoo perks up with interest. “I’m the resident telepath.”

“What, so you can like read my mind or something?”

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes. “Yes, that’s exactly what it means.”

“Really. Well tell me what I’m thinking about right now then.”

If Kyungsoo had to concentrate to use his powers, he sure doesn’t show it. The only notice Baekhyun gets that Kyungsoo’s using his telepathy is the fingers that he brings up to his temple. Must be truth in fiction or something. “You’re thinking about Chanyeol naked.”

Baekhyun screams. “What the fuck!?”

Chanyeol looks similarly shocked, also jumping off of the bed, but in the process actually knocking over the tray with his long legs. “Kyungsoo, what?”

“That is not what I’m thinking about!” Baekhyun’s in the middle of a mild panic attack because in the far, far, far recesses of his mind, he might’ve been thinking about a certain someone without any clothes. But he didn’t think Kyungsoo would be able to reach that far in his thoughts, so it seemed safe. Apparently not. Chanyeol looks like he’s trying really hard to avoid looking at him.

“Well you’re thinking about someone’s dick so—“

“Enough!” Baekhyun can feel the heat rushing to his face. It’s bad enough to even have those kinds of thoughts in the first place, but to hear someone read it back to him just feels…

“I just read it like I see it,” Kyungsoo states, before he fixes his eyes directly on Baekhyun. _If you really feel this way about him, you shouldn’t lead him on like this. You need to be a bit more honest with him_. It’s strange talking to someone through telepathy. It’s like you can hear their voice, but it’s clearer, away from any sort of noise that could muffle it. 

Baekhyun has to hold onto his forehead to adjust to the new sensation before he tries replying. “So then…” It’s a bit tricky, he realizes. _So then…can you read everything, or hear it or whatever?_

Kyungsoo crosses his arms. _Does this really surprise you? I know how you feel about him. I also know how save you a lot of headaches if you just admit your feelings and be straight with the other person_. Kyungsoo taps his head as a reminder before he makes his way over to the exit. “That’s the end of the tour.”

 

 

As they’re making their way back to the main hall, Baekhyun tries not to notice how Chanyeol stares at him every now and then. Before, Baekhyun would just shrug it off, but now there’s actual meaning behind the glances. He can’t just ignore them like they mean nothing. Luckily, Kyungsoo doesn’t seem keen on leaving them alone, standing in between the two as they traverse the hallways. 

_Did you come here knowing that Chanyeol likes you?_ When Baekhyun looks down, he notices Kyungsoo looking over at him from the corner of his eyes.

 _No. I didn’t actually. But I guess now that secret’s out._ Baekhyun rubs at the itch on his thigh. _As if things weren’t complicated already. Now Chanyeol will think I actually like him back._

 _Is that really so bad? You two are worse than Jongin when it comes to admitting your feelings. I’m not going to play matchmaker or whatever. If you want to just stay like this, then I’m not going to stop you. But I just want you to know that being true to yourself is much better than hiding behind a lie_. Kyungsoo’s stare becomes dark. _Also, please stop thinking about Chanyeol naked. I really didn’t need that image._

“Whatever,” Baekhyun says before covering his mouth. He’s still learning. _I mean, I’ll stop, but you have to admit, it’s pretty nice_. Kyungsoo replies by simply squinting his eyes really hard—Baekhyun’s getting used to his judging though, so it’s starting to lose its effect. Behind Kyungsoo, Chanyeol’s watching them both closely, still staring like he wants to say something, but is afraid of the outcome. 

When they arrive at the main hall, Jongin and Jongdae are already there, waiting with bags of takeout on the table. They have the gall to look surprised. “What took you guys so long?” Jongdae asks innocently, even though his smile screams anything but innocent.

“What took _us_ so long? What took _you two_ so long?” Chanyeol points at them accusingly. “I hope you guys got extra wings because I’m…well I’m not mad, but I am hungry.” He’s already diving for the bucket, hoarding a couple of wings on a plate not meant to carry so many. 

“For once I’m going to agree with Chanyeol.” Kyungsoo has about half of the amount of wings Chanyeol has on his plate. “You two better tell the truth now because I’ll know if you’re lying.”

Jongin purses his lips as he reaches for his own plate. “It’s all Jongdae hyung’s fault. When we picked up the food, we had so much free time, so he decided we should visit the mall before coming back but today was very busy. We kept bumping into people and we lost track of time.” He narrows his eyebrows. “I think people knew who we were and that’s why there was a crowd.”

“I knew you were going to throw me under the bus,” Jongdae says as he promptly ignores Jongin’s pitiful stare. “I’m not buying you anymore toys since it’s apparently my fault and everything. Anyways, if you open up Pann, I’m pretty sure we’ll be on the top thread for some reason.”

“I really want to feel sorry for you two, but I can’t so I won’t.” Kyungsoo shrugs before getting started on his chicken. “Also, with proper training, I might consider adding Baekhyun-ssi to the team should he decide to take the offer.” Suddenly, everyone looks up in shock, like those words are completely foreign to come out of Kyungsoo’s mouth. 

“Are you serious?” Jongin asks, chicken grease smeared on the edge of his lips. “That’s…”

“I’m happy for you,” Jongdae offers, mostly to Kyungsoo. “The tin man finally found his heart. If only we could find him a sense of humor as well, then maybe—hey, that was uncalled for.” 

Baekhyun stops eating to glance over at Jongdae, and he’s locked in a glare with Kyungsoo. This must be what Chanyeol was talking about when he said they talk telepathically all the time. Soon Jongin’s locked in a similar gaze, throwing his chicken down in a greasy pile and shooting a heated glare in Jongdae’s direction. Chanyeol’s bobbing his head along like he’s listening to the conversation but offers no replies.

“This is new,” Baekhyun mumbles to himself. These kinds of arguments must be commonplace for a group like this. At least if they’re out in public, they can argue in peace and no one would be the wiser. 

The argument continues for…quite a while, Baekhyun notices. The chicken’s already starting to get cold, and they’ve gone through many loops in their argument (Baekhyun can assume from their posture and general hand motions if they’ve reached an agreement or are starting up another round of arguing). He’s so focused on their argument that he doesn’t even notice the cat that’s made its way into the chicken bucket.

“This is also new.” Baekhyun reaches over to tip the bucket so that the cat falls right in, meowing softly at the predicament it’s in. Taking in how pitiful it looks, Baekhyun apologizes by gently stroking its head. “I didn’t know they owned a cat.” 

“I didn’t know they let idiots in.” 

Baekhyun reels back like he’s just been burned, eyes wide because did that cat just talk? Did it just insult him? “Wait.”

“Relax,” the cat says (mewls?). “If you jump every time something happens, then you’re not going to make it here.” Somehow it’s crawling back out of the bucket, and Baekhyun notices that it’s an odd shade of pink. Or, maybe he should back up and think about the fact that this cat is pink in the first place. That’s not normal. “Don’t you know it’s rude to stare?”

“Okay, but why are you pink then?” 

The cat actually looks like it’s smirking. “Wouldn’t you like to know—” 

_Sehun!_ Both Baekhyun and the cat look up, startled. Kyungsoo’s glaring at it now, and the cat seems to shrink under his stare. _Where were you? You know everyone is supposed to be present when we have meetings_. Baekhyun is surprised, mainly about the fact that he’s being allowed into this conversation, but also because…the cat is a part of the team?

 _Hey lighten up. I was just taking a cat nap. I can’t get a lot of sleep when we have to keep dealing with saving the world or whatever_. Sehun’s tiptoeing across the table as he picks at the pieces of chicken lying around. _Besides, did you really need me to decide on ordering chicken for dinner?_

 _It’s the principle of the whole thing. We need to be together as one team on all fronts. That’s kind of the whole point of being in a team. We can count on everyone to show up, especially when deciding on dinner._

Jongdae breaks the silence with laughter. _We don’t have to be with each other all the time, Kyungsoo. We’re all adults here. We don’t need babysitting._

_Please. You’re all like children. I can’t leave you guys alone for one second._

_Okay this conversation is kind of ruining my mood, so I’m just going to eat, okay?_ Jongin looks apologetic as he slowly pulls a plate of chicken his way. _Wait, Sehun did you eat out of this?_

 _What? No. I might’ve licked it though_. Jongin lets out a retching noise as he drops the chicken wing from his mouth. _What? It’s not like I lick my ass or anything._

 _Sehun, please_. Chanyeol similarly drops his wing. _Can we not talk about that when we’re eating?_

 _I don’t though_. Sehun curls around on the table, wrapping his tail around his body. “So anyways, isn’t someone going to introduce me officially?”

“This is Oh Sehun. Also known as The Slacker.” When Sehun whines at this nickname, Jongdae just reaches over to rub at his head. “He’s not really a cat if that’s what you’re thinking. He’s a shape-shifter, taking on mostly animal forms.” 

“I’m pretty sure I’ve read this in a comic book,” Baekhyun notes. 

Any further conversation is interrupted when the phone starts to ring, and Baekhyun notices the palpable drop in mood. Everyone’s suddenly tensing up, and even Chanyeol looks serious as he watches Kyungsoo answer the call. “Hello. Thank you for calling XO. Please tell us what’s troubling you and the location.”

 _Kyungsoo, why did you call us that?_ Chanyeol looks distressed. _You know we’re called The 88._

It’s Jongdae’s turn to stare at Chanyeol. _Chanyeol, we’re The Immortals._

Baekhyun snorts. _Wow, could you sound any more like a boy band?_

_That’s what I’m saying._

_Shut up, Sehun._

_Jongdae, that name isn’t official._ Chanyeol crosses his arms. _Besides, what kind of a name is that? At least with mine we sound mysterious. Yours just sounds like we’re, like Baekhyun said, a boy band._

_I don’t care. I hate that name._

_I thought we were the Boys Who Cried Wolf…_ Both Chanyeol and Jongdae turn to look at Jongin with an incredulous stare.

When Kyungsoo finishes the call, he gives a heavy sigh. “The government calls us XO, so I’m going to use that name for convenience. They’ve already acknowledged us so let’s try to live up to their faith. And stop using my telepathy to make snide comments. It’s not a toy.”

_Okay, Mum._

 

 

The hush that falls over the group afterwards is thick, noticeable in how no one’s really smiling or cracking jokes anymore. They’re all concentrating on the upcoming mission, and it’s unreal how different they are when they apply themselves. Baekhyun feels so out of place just standing in the hallway, watching as the others busy themselves with getting ready.

Jongin’s talking to Kyungsoo at the main hall, eyebrows furrowed as the point at the map on the screen. When Baekhyun looks further down, he notices their fingers are entwined. Everyone else seems to be tending to their own agendas: Jongdae’s locked up in his own room, Sehun’s outside on the deck, and Chanyeol’s…

“Hey,” Baekhyun says when he stands in Chanyeol’s doorway. His room isn’t that hard to find, especially since they all seem to have a system with where they’ve set up their private quarters. Chanyeol’s room is kind of small for someone of his size, but Chanyeol doesn’t seem to mind, effortlessly moving from one end to the other as he readies himself.

“Hey,” Chanyeol answers back, fingers fidgeting over the back of his neck. “Can you help unzip me really quick?” He’s motioning to the spot near his nape, and he’s already turning around to show Baekhyun the zipper that runs right down his back, ending near the dip of his hips.

“Sure, just…give me a second.” Baekhyun hesitates as he reaches up with his hand, fingers brushing over Chanyeol’s as he takes hold of the zipper. He can feel how warm Chanyeol is, the heat radiating off of his body just from standing so close to him. He can hear every breath, every rise and fall. “Hold still.”

Chanyeol drops his hands back to his sides, and he’s leaning forward just slightly so Baekhyun can glide the zipper easier. At the first pull, Chanyeol lets out a steady sigh, and Baekhyun realizes that Chanyeol’s not wearing a shirt underneath. Slowly, he continues to pull, and beneath the shine of sweat, Chanyeol’s skin looks so beautiful. The suit falls over his shoulders, and Baekhyun’s eyes trace the scars that stretch along the curves of his muscles. 

“How long have you been doing this?” Baekhyun resists the urge to touch them with his hand, instead continuing to pull the zipper further down. Chanyeol’s breaths start spilling out in more relaxed tones.

“Long enough,” Chanyeol answers easily. When he doesn’t continue, Baekhyun takes it as a request to finish, and when he reaches the end, Chanyeol loosens up his shoulders with a roll. “Thanks.” 

Baekhyun can feel his lips drying up. Chanyeol’s body just looks wonderful as he slowly reveals more skin, and then he’s turning around and Baekhyun gets a face full of bare chest before he looks up at Chanyeol’s face. Unlike before, Chanyeol doesn’t look as amused as Baekhyun would expect him to be. It’s almost like he’s hesitating as well, and it’s clear the revelation from earlier is still heavy on his mind.

“I just want you to know, I didn’t bring you here to get anything out of you. I’m sorry that Kyungsoo…” Chanyeol bites his bottom lip. “He shouldn’t have revealed your private thoughts like that.” Baekhyun follows the bob of Chanyeol’s throat, down to his collarbones, and he should be enjoying this, but…

“It’s…I mean, I’m okay with it now. He obviously didn’t mean anything malicious with it, and maybe it’s better this way. I should really stop lying to myself.” He wants so badly to touch, and there’s no denying it now, not with the way Chanyeol’s eyes are traveling down his body like he wants it just as much. “I just…” 

_Chanyeol, Baekhyun. We’re leaving in two minutes_. Kyungsoo’s voice rings right through his head, and the moment is lost once more.

Baekhyun backs away slowly, and Chanyeol simply stares for a silent moment before he drops the rest of his suit to change into a new one. Baekhyun keeps his eyes right on Chanyeol’s back as he lets the words he wants to say float away as they turn into unspoken confessions.

 

 

The district doesn’t look like it’s in danger when they arrive. This is an immediate tip off for Baekhyun that something isn’t right. Where’s the screaming citizens? The destruction? Jongdae’s walking ahead of the group, checking the street corners before he’s turning back to ask, “Kyungsoo, are you sure this is the right location?” 

Kyungsoo’s stepping out from behind Jongin, two fingers already up to his temple. “That’s weird. I’m not reading any mental signatures in the area. No humans anyway. Where is everyone?” Jongin seems just as confused, toying with the edges of his gloves as he keeps close to Kyungsoo’s side. 

“Maybe they’re…nope, I got nothing.” Jongin already has his hand on Kyungsoo’s shoulder, pulling him back just slightly. “I don’t like this, hyung.”

Baekhyun’s standing a bit far from the group, Chanyeol right on his tail as they comb the street up and down for any signs of activity. It’s strange. It’s like the whole area’s been deserted before they arrived, but they should’ve gotten some sort of notification about this beforehand. It doesn’t feel like any situation Baekhyun’s been in before, and that has him standing on edge, nervous jitters running through his body.

“What do you think?” 

Chanyeol brings a hand up to his chin. “I don’t know. I’ve never seen anything like this before. Not even the shops have anyone inside them. This isn’t normal.” He’s picking up off the ground in a steady float, and Baekhyun follows behind as they head further down the road. _Kyungsoo, did they say anything else on the call?_

_They just said there was a power disturbance in this area, and that was it. I assumed it was from that rogue super, but I could be wrong. We should split up to cover more ground. Everyone, make sure to keep in mental contact. Any sign of trouble, you inform the rest of the team immediately and we’ll converge on your location._

Baekhyun is already with Chanyeol, so they just continue moving forward, taking extra precaution to note anything suspicious about the buildings that could help answer why the area is deserted like it is. “What’s a rogue super?” he asks when they’re a good distance away from the group. 

Chanyeol continues floating ahead, clenching his fists just slightly as he turns to Baekhyun. “Someone like us, superhuman. But also completely different from us in the fact that they use their powers for terrible purposes. Our group, we handle criminals like them. The regular law enforcement aren’t powerful enough to handle people like that, so it’s our job to keep the peace when supers are involved.”

“Is Kyungsoo referring to someone specific?” Baekhyun can see the tensing in Chanyeol’s expression.

“He is.”

That’s the last thing Chanyeol gets out before Jongin’s body comes flying from the sky. 

“Jongin!” Chanyeol’s already moving fast, flying backwards as he catches Jongin’s body in a tight hug, landing just a few feet away. There’s a visible bruise on the side of Jongin’s temple, and from the way his lips are pulled, the pain is very real. “Jongin? Can you hear me?” Baekhyun’s running right to his side, eyes wide at the sight before him. Everything’s happening to fast.

“He’s unconscious.” 

As soon as Baekhyun turns to find the owner of the voice, he’s pummeled with a heavy fist to his face. The shock overwhelms the pain he should be feeling, but the strength of the punch is sending him soaring through the nearby building, the faint cries from Chanyeol growing quieter in the distance.

The ringing is only slightly annoying as he pushes the rubble off of his body, taking care not to damage the building any further. Out of the corner of his eye, he spots a figure heading his direction, and this must be the super they were referring to. As the dust settles, a short man comes into view, probably no taller than he is. Unfortunately, the man is wearing a mask and Baekhyun has no way of identifying him. 

“Who are you?” Baekhyun tries to regain a hold on the situation, jumping into a standing position as he takes in his surroundings. “Why are you attacking us?” _Chanyeol, can you hear me?_ When he doesn’t get a reply, Baekhyun surmises that either he’s too far from Kyungsoo for the telepathy to work, or Kyungsoo’s been injured. He prays it’s the former.

“I don’t see a need to answer either of those questions,” the man drawls. His stance is on the offensive, and a blinding flash is all Baekhyun gets before he’s pummeled with the force of a freight train. The blast connects harshly, pushing Baekhyun right into the pile of broken bricks. “Just stay out of my way.”

The second blast misses by a small margin as Baekhyun rolls out of the way, bracing himself from the spray of stone as the bricks fly from the explosion. Gripping a nearby table, Baekhyun hoists it over his shoulder before flinging it right at the man. It doesn’t come close to hitting him, the man dodging it swiftly and charging right at Baekhyun with a ball of light in his hand. Baekhyun takes the challenge head on, raising his fist in time to connect with the man’s. 

It triggers a bigger explosion, and when Baekhyun hits the wall directly, his head rattles from the impact. This time, the pain rings through his nerves, and Baekhyun realizes this is no ordinary criminal. Supers. He reminds himself what Chanyeol told him, and he takes the lull in the assault to quickly escape to recover. 

_Chanyeol, can you hear me?_ If he survives this, he’ll have to remind them to invest in some communicators because while telepathy is convenient, it isn’t always reliable. The man’s figure appears from the dust and he doesn’t look injured at all. “Hold on.” Baekhyun stumbles back, keeping his sight firmly on the man. “They told me you’re a super as well. Why are you attacking us? Aren’t we all on the same team?” 

This questions must’ve struck a nerve with him because the man freezes in his steps. “They really told you nothing... That’s hilarious. Do you think just because they call themselves the good guys, that it’s all true? You shouldn’t believe everything you’re told.” His fingers glow a bright silver. “It doesn’t matter. It’ll all be over soon.”

“That’s my line though.” The fly that was buzzing on the man’s shoulder quickly shifts into a large elephant, immediately slamming him right into the ground with a battle cry. 

Baekhyun can feel the ground shake beneath him, and he has to steady himself to keep standing. The pink elephant trumpets triumphantly, its snout raising high as it presses its feet into the crater. Sehun’s timing is both impeccable and disastrous, and before Baekhyun can get a question out, his body is picked up and pulled out of the area. 

Everything around him is blurring in languid motions, like time’s starting to slow down. He can’t focus on it though, not when he’s being hoisted over someone’s shoulder. When they’re a good distance away from the right, Baekhyun’s lowered back to the ground, and when he gets a good look at the person who carried him, he’s surprised it’s, “Jongdae?”

“Sorry I didn’t get there fast enough,” Jongdae huffs, brushing off the dirt on his knees. “We got ambushed and I lost track of Jongin and Kyungsoo and—”

 _We’re trying to recuperate_. Kyungsoo steps from the clearing, followed by Chanyeol, and Jongin who has an arm around his shoulder. Jongin’s still pretty roughed up, limping as he holds onto his torso with his free arm. _Sehun is our best line of attack and he should be holding the super off. We have to get Jongin out of here, but he’s in no shape to use his portals for that far of a destination._

In the distance, there’s a sudden burst of noise, followed by slight tremors in the ground. 

_Chanyeol, I think you should take Jongin back_. Kyungsoo isn’t looking at Chanyeol, but at Jongin directly. _I don’t want to see anyone else get hurt. I have to stay behind to keep the line active, and I need Jongdae here in case we get into trouble. This isn’t a run-of-the-mill super. Baekhyun-ssi…_ Kyungsoo straightens his back, his expressions stoic. _I need you to go back with them. I’m sorry. This isn’t your fight and…_

“What? I can help though!” Baekhyun blurts out, catching everyone’s attention. “We…look, I know I’m just some stranger to you guys, but I want to help. It’s kind of what I do, okay?”

 _Leave this to the professionals._ There’s no denying how tired Kyungsoo is from the situation, but Baekhyun is stubborn, as he’s about to find out. _Please, it’s safer if you just let the heroes deal with this_.

 _I’m a hero too_. Baekhyun takes in everyone’s expressions: exhausted, tense, scared. He doesn’t want them to feel like this is a losing battle. _We’re in this together._

Jongdae is the first to break the tension with a relieved sigh. _Well, I’m okay with him tagging along. We could use more manpower. It wouldn’t hurt._

“I also want Baekhyun,” Chanyeol says. _I want him with us._

When the ground shakes once more, Kyungsoo takes in a deep breath. _Fine. Baekhyun-ssi, I’m counting on you to pull your weight. Can I trust you?_

Baekhyun fixes his gloves with a smile. “You got it.”

 

 

The plan is a lot more complicated than Baekhyun thought it would be, but he got the gist of what he is meant to carry out from his side. Kyungsoo’s staying behind with Jongin to keep him out of harm’s way, while the rest of the team move forward to help back Sehun up. When they arrive, the man’s carrying a struggling lion in the air by the neck, before throwing him right into the ground.

 _Sehun!_ Jongdae’s dashes into the fray with amazing speed, knocking the man away with a shoulder tackle. _Let’s get you out of here, big guy._

The pain must’ve been really bad since Jongdae’s helping a human out of the crater instead of a pink lion. Sehun looks younger than Baekhyun thought he was going to be, with soft features roughed up with scratches, but he doesn’t linger on that thought as the man erupts out the dust. Hands flared, he tries to rush the pair, but Jongdae’s quicker, already sprinting away with Sehun in his arms.

“Your opponent is me!” Baekhyun announces, cracking his knuckles to get the man’s attention. “Unless you’re too scared to fight me.” If there was anyone who was qualified to make embarrassing threats, it was Baekhyun no doubt.

“I don’t have any problems with you.” The man turns towards him. “But if you’re looking to die so easily, then so be it.” The man takes the bait, rushing towards Baekhyun with an ignorant charge. 

_Here we go_. Baekhyun studies the man’s movements, taking care to leave a good amount of distance between them as he backs up quickly. A head on attack would be meaningless, as he and Sehun’s already demonstrated. He has to be creative. When they’re back out on the street, Baekhyun keeps his footwork light, never once letting the man connect with any of his punches. 

“Are you just going to run away? What kind of game are you playing?” the man shouts, but that’s all he gets when a portal opens up underneath him, swallowing his body like quicksand. As he struggles to pull himself out, Baekhyun keeps his eyes open for the second portal, and sure enough, a tear rips right in the sky above him. 

When the man falls through completely, his body spirals through the sky, and Baekhyun readies himself. Pulling his fist back, Baekhyun jumps into the air, and with a mighty swing, punches the man straight in the face, colliding with an impact so strong that it sends him shooting through the nearby buildings. 

_It can’t be that easy, so keep on your toes_. Kyungsoo’s voice appears in his thoughts. _Jongin’s exhausted his powers, so we have to be careful._

 _Tell him I said thanks_. Kyungsoo’s chuckle is light, and it’s a lot happier than Baekhyun’s ever heard from him. 

_Chanyeol, are you ready?_

_You got it_. Baekhyun spots Chanyeol overhead, flying down from the rooftop to scoop him up from the ground. As they fly towards the man, Baekhyun can feel Chanyeol’s heart pounding against him. “Are you okay?”

“I am it’s just…even though this is my job, I still get scared on the field. If I mess up, people are going to get hurt. Innocent people. There’s a lot of people counting on me.” Chanyeol’s voice keeps getting quieter, and Baekhyun feels for him. He also feels the same way, everyday he’s walking the streets of Seoul. It’s a dangerous job, but it’s one he chose for himself.

“Well, now they can count on us,” Baekhyun says, and he’s holding onto Chanyeol’s wrist tightly. It’s not the biggest reassurance he can give, but Chanyeol must understand with the way he reaches over to hold onto Baekhyun just as firmly.

The smoke cloud has settled when they reach their destination, and luckily, the man is still struggling to get up from the ground. Perfect. 

_When I give you the go, I want you to drop me, okay?_ Baekhyun counts the seconds as they reach the perfect altitude. This will only work if they’re high enough, and he doesn’t think they’ll get another chance if they mess up.

Chanyeol’s voice drops to a whisper when they reach the best spot they can get. “Are you sure?” 

Baekhyun nods slowly. “Trust me.”

“Okay.”

As soon as the man pulls an arm out of the fissure he’s trapped in, Baekhyun gives Chanyeol the mental go ahead, and he’s soon released from his hold, falling right through the sky. Baekhyun rights himself with a bit of struggle until he’s facing down at the man with an arm outstretched and a fist aimed right at him. 

Let’s just say, this is an all or nothing effort because this is the first time Baekhyun’s tried this out. The rush of wind against his body is terrifying, but the adrenaline keeps him focused on his task. 

Time passes by so slowly when he’s falling, and he’s able to collect his deeper thoughts. He thinks about his journey, how he was so scared of discovering his abilities, and scared of how people would think of him. He thinks about how his parents were quiet when they found out about his secret life, and how he’s still unsure of how they think about it. About him. 

He thinks about how Chanyeol stumbled into his life, and how that one random moment has shaped his journey in a way he didn’t expect it to go.

 _You can do it, Baekhyun!_

When he sees the ground coming close, and the man struggling to get out of his way, Baekhyun closes his eyes and lets the impact arrive. The punch hits. The ground shatters. Baekhyun feels like he’s in limbo as the pain that he expected to surge through his body doesn’t arrive. He’s standing above the man’s body as he lays still, unconscious but still breathing. 

Supers don’t get hurt as easily as humans do. It takes a lot to effectively put one out of commission, but Baekhyun isn’t in the business of murder. 

The man’s mask is cracked, and when it falls apart a moment later, Baekhyun finally gets a good look at his face. The man doesn’t look that much older than Baekhyun—his face is youthful, eyelashes long and lips soft as they part. He doesn’t look anything like what Baekhyun pictured from the danger he possessed, and Baekhyun feels sorry for him. 

When Chanyeol touches down, he’s immediately placing a hand on Baekhyun’s shoulder. “I know what you’re doing to ask. This is Junmyeon. He…he used to be one of us and now…” His fingers tremble. “There’s a part of me that hopes the old Junmyeon comes back. So we can stop fighting.” When he drops his hand, Chanyeol’s kneeling down beside Junmyeon and picking up the mask.

“You two must’ve been good friends.” Baekhyun says quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to apologize. It’s something I’ve gotten used to now. Regular crime, I can handle. But when it comes to supers, I’m usually the last to agree. Knowing that things could’ve turned out differently, it always makes me wonder why they turned out the way they did. Is it some kind of test?” When Chanyeol stands up, it feels like he’s trying to curl into himself, make himself seem smaller. 

Baekhyun doesn’t know what kind of answer to give, so he does the first thing that comes to his mind: he gives Chanyeol a hug. At first, Chanyeol tenses up, body stiff, but then he’s relaxing into Baekhyun’s touch, a few tears welling up in his eyes. They stay like that until the rest of the team arrive, and it takes all of Baekhyun’s efforts not to let go.

 

 

Jongin is sent to the hospital along with Sehun after they start recovering from the incident. While they’re both a bit beaten up, they look happy about the fact that they won’t have to work for quite a while, Sehun cheering as the paramedics lay him on a stretcher. 

“Just recover quickly okay?” Jongdae snips as he pats Sehun’s leg. “You too Jongin. I don’t want you two complaining when you get back. Also, don’t think this will get you any favors.” He’s pressing a kiss to both of their cheeks and the pair look simultaneously annoyed and elated.

Junmyeon is sent to a different facility. The team that arrives to pick him up doesn’t look surprised about the turn of events, and Baekhyun wonders just how many times they’ve had to deal with Junmyeon before. Kyungsoo departs with them, stating paperwork and formalities as his reasons. Before he leaves, Kyungsoo makes sure to personally thank Baekhyun for helping out.

“It’s the least I could do,” Baekhyun replies easily. _But really, it’s no problem. I’m happy to help out. It’s what I do_. Kyungsoo blinks for a moment, and then he’s actually smiling. It looks a lot more real than the ones he’s given before, and even Jongdae is pointing it out with exaggerated shock. 

Chanyeol seemed like he wanted to go with them, but something held him back, and he just watched with Baekhyun and Jongdae as the armored truck disappeared in the distance. Baekhyun held onto Chanyeol’s hand the entire time, and it seemed to help in a way. 

“Thank you,” Chanyeol says when he’s walking back with Baekhyun. Jongdae’s departed for whereabouts unknown, and it’s just the two of them on the street. “I couldn’t have done this without you.” 

He can feel how much Chanyeol relies on him, and he’s starting to realize how much he’s wanted this. To be a part of a team. “It’s no problem,” Baekhyun reiterates. “I’m a hero, remember?” 

“You’re really something.”

It’s enough of a compliment that Baekhyun feels sparklers setting off inside his heart. His fingers linger on Chanyeol’s, until they’re just holding on by the tips. 

 

 

The room Chanyeol’s picked out for Baekhyun is right across from his. 

It’s not too spacious, just enough that Baekhyun can get used to the idea of crashing here in case he’s too lazy to actually go back home; though, that term is starting to mean something else now that he’s spending a lot of time here at their headquarters. It’s starting to feel more like his actual home. 

“I liked the tights you used to wear,” Chanyeol says as he sits down on Baekhyun’s bed. “I’m sad you got rid of them. They really fit you. I mean, in a classic superhero kind of way.”

Baekhyun quickly rolls on his deodorant, making sure his body is clean before reaching for the bodysuit they’ve issued him. It’s a lot more form-fitting than Baekhyun is used to, but the fact that it’s designed to be more efficient in protecting him had him practically yanking it away from Kyungsoo’s hands at the meeting. 

“I guess so, but they weren’t practical. Or helpful in any way shape or form. If I’m going to be dodging bullets, I kind of want to make sure I have some protection in case I get clumsy.”

Stretching across Baekhyun’s bed, Chanyeol props himself on an elbow, his legs just barely dangling off of the bed. “Don’t worry, I’ll be here to protect you.” At the meeting, Chanyeol was vocal about how much he wanted Baekhyun to be a part of the team, and he couldn’t keep his eyes off of him.

“My hero.” Baekhyun rolls his eyes as he sticks a leg through the suit opening. “I’ll make sure to remember that if I end up saving your ass.”

“Shot right to my heart.” Chanyeol clutches at his chest as he rolls over, showing his backside to Baekhyun. He’s still so lively, just like before. “I’m hurt, and this time I really mean it.”

“You’ll live.” Baekhyun snorts as he sticks his other leg into the suit. “Can you help zip me up?” When he catches himself asking the question, he realizes it’s too late, and the silence that settles in is deafening. 

“Sure…just give me a second.” Baekhyun can hear Chanyeol slowly pulling himself off the bed, and then Chanyeol’s slowly settling behind him, his presence so warm and so near. There’s jitters in Chanyeol’s fingers as he pulls up the zipper, and for a while, Baekhyun thinks about how they would feel on his body, on his skin. When Chanyeol’s fingertips brush along his spine, they send sensations all along his nerves.

“Chanyeol,” Baekhyun says when he feels Chanyeol’s fingers dragging along his shoulder blades. “Please zip me up first.” 

Chanyeol immediately drop his fingers, and there’s a shakiness in his voice as he apologies. “Sorry, sorry! I’m…yeah. Sorry.”

“You’re such an idiot.” Before Chanyeol can apologize again, Baekhyun quickly turns around and pulls him in for a crushing kiss. It’s been a long time coming, but Baekhyun relishes in how Chanyeol turns his own shock into fervor, wrapping his arms around his torso and pulling their bodies close. Baekhyun wraps his own arms around Chanyeol’s neck, threading his fingers into Chanyeol’s hair to hold on.

But as quickly as the passion came, it slowly drifts down, and Chanyeol’s kissing gentler, like he’s savoring this moment. Baekhyun catches the kiss and slows down, and soon they’re kissing with a level of intensity that Baekhyun didn’t realize Chanyeol could give. It feel so innocent, like Chanyeol wants to care for him. When they break apart, Chanyeol’s smiling so radiantly, eyes crinkled up in delight. 

“What?”

Chanyeol shakes his head with a giggle. “I just…I’ve always wanted to kiss you. It doesn’t feel real and yet, here we are. I can’t believe it. I’m happy.”

Baekhyun pushes Chanyeol’s head close to his until their foreheads are touching. “You really are an idiot. How did I fall in love with you?”

“You literally fell, and I was there to catch you.”

“Wow, you really know how to crush the romance,” Baekhyun jokes. “You’re lucky you’re cute. I forgive you.” When Chanyeol pouts, Baekhyun reaches up to give him a kiss on the forehead.

They stay like that for a while, eyes closed and foreheads pressed against each other. They don’t exchange any words, because there isn’t a need. They already know how they feel, and they know it’s all real. When Kyungsoo calls for them to gather for the initiation, Baekhyun only feels slightly guilty for stealing a few more minutes of alone time with Chanyeol.

“Are you ready?” 

It truly feels like his story is just beginning, and as Baekhyun steps into the main hall with Chanyeol’s hand in his, he can safely say he’s glad he let it all happen.

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave your review on [LiveJournal](http://baeconandeggs.livejournal.com/19358.html). ♥


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